Got a problem with your stock H-D that your local dealer can’t fix? Well, put away that hammer, grab a pen, and let our resident pro get you back on the road! That’s right, frustrated ones. You can now get your perplexing problem answered with a simple snail mail or e-mail to AIM.
Autumn already? That means it’s time for a new batch of Helpline questions and answers. Victor Hernandez gets us moving with a sad tale about his 2006 Electra Glide Classic shutting off unexpectedly. John Williams follows, telling us about the limited range of motion of the brake lever on his 2005 Heritage Springer. Dave Wolfe is overseas, having a serious corrosion problem with his 2005 FXDL, while Troy Hintermeister has an ECM inquiry about his 2005 Night Train. We close out the show with a pair of noisy 2005 Road King Customs: Dan Gile is suffering from a clanking shifter, and Ray Lind is troubled by hissing brakes.
Anyone wishing to submit a question to our H-D expert should send in as much info about the problem and bike as possible, which definitely includes the bike’s year, model, and mileage to Hog Helpline, c/o
American Iron Magazine, 1010 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905, or e-mail it to
ChrisM@AmericanIronMag.com. Ready for the disclaimer? Unfortunately, we can’t answer all of the questions that we receive or respond directly to the submitter, owing to volume. Select questions will be answered only through this monthly column.
Q:I have a 2006 Electra Glide Classic Twin Cam 88 that’s been to my dealership a half dozen times with an ongoing problem. When the afternoons get warm, the bike shuts off as if the kill switch was hit. The bike will restart after a second or two, though sometimes I have to turn it off and on to restart it. The wiring connections and air/fuel settings were checked, and I’ve changed all the relays and the ignition coil. The bike has even shut down on me at cruising speeds on the freeway. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Victor Hernandez
Via Internet
A:You didn’t mention the check engine lamp at all, so I’ll assume it doesn’t come on when the bike stalls. This would indicate a problem with power to the ECM. First, I would check the voltage drop across the kill switch on the handlebar. If the contacts on this switch are getting dirty or worn, the ECM may think you turned the switch off. Also, check the connector plug on the back of the ignition switch. You’ll have to remove the radio to get a good look at it. I’ve seen the locks on the plug unhook, causing an intermittent connection. Again, the ECM thinks the switch has been turned off so no fault codes are triggered. You also mentioned that you changed the relays. Pull the system relay back out and look closely at the terminals in the connector. Make sure they haven’t been pushed down and out of the plastic housing.
Q:I have a 2005 Heritage Springer. When I first bought it new, I replaced the front single-piston caliper with a PM four-piston unit with a metal-braided brake line. My problem is that the brake lever only moves approximately 3/4" toward the grip when applying the front brake, and my hand isn’t big enough or strong enough to put proper pressure on the lever for a real panic stop. Luckily I haven’t had that problem yet (18,000 miles). Is there a modification I can do using H-D parts to give me some more movement of the lever?
John Williams
Via Internet
A:You need a master cylinder that moves less fluidly, John. Unfortunately you have the smallest bore master that Harley makes. I feel your best bet would be to go to Performance Machine and get the correct master cylinder for that caliper. That said, you might find in the aftermarket an adjustable lever to put it closer to the grip for better control. Metal Arts makes one, for example. Now, if it were mine, I would go for a little experimenting. If you enlarge the bleed back hole in the master, the lever should move farther before the pressure starts to build. That’s the tiny hole in the reservoir closest to the brake banjo bolt. Open this hole slightly until the lever feels good. Be careful not to damage the rubber cup inside as it is very close to this hole. A little bit goes a long way here, and remember you can’t go back. I want to stress that this is messing with your brake system, and I can’t guarantee the results. Do the sure thing and get in touch with PM!
Q:This might be one of the strangest questions you’ve received. I have a 2005 FXDL; everything is stock but the exhaust. I work and live in South Korea in support of the US Army, and we have a big problem with corrosion here. The water is hard, so exposed and untreated hardware rusts fast. The screw heads on my bike’s factory hardware are corroded. I would like to replace them all with polished stainless steel hardware. The problem I have is the dissimilar metals. How will the stainless steel work with the engine, primary, and transmission cases? I know that the stainless steel will not corrode, but I don’t want the threads in the cases to get any corrosion either. What would be a good replacement for the hardware?
David Wolfe
Via Internet
A:The corrosion of the dissimilar metals will take place where they are in contact with each other. I think a good dose of Never-Seize on the threads and under the heads of the hardware should solve the problem.
Q:I just purchased a 2005 Night Train. The last owner made a few changes, but I’m not sure how the bike is tuned or set up. It has a Pro Hypercharger with Screamin’ Eagle Race Tuner kit, and Vance & Hines Sideshot pipes without the baffles. What should the stock ECM setup be? How do I read the preloaded ECM setups on the Screamin’ Eagle software? How do I get better performance without losing too much gas mileage? I have all the connection cables and the Screamin’ Eagle software, have looked at the current ECM setup, and recorded them to my laptop. The bike runs good now, but we all want more power!
Troy Hintermeister
Internet
A:The ECM setup should be whatever gets you the best performance, fuel economy, and/or the power that you’re looking for. You can look at the ECM map numbers and see the downloads Harley provides with the software you have. The software has good help files to explain how to access these. You need a dynamometer with an air/fuel meter and a competent dyno operator/tuner to actually see the power output and air/fuel readings the bike is making. The dyno operator can change air/fuel values to possibly gain some fuel economy. If the engine is tuned properly now you may not be able to gain any more power without more engine upgrades.
Q:I recently purchased a 2005 Road King Custom with 4,300 miles on it. I’ve put an additional 1,200 miles on the odometer. When shifting, especially between second and third, as well as third and fourth, there’s a clanking sound, upshifting and down-shifting, which is driving me crazy. It’s not as bad when first starting out, but after things warm up is when the problem is most annoying. I have a 1984 FXSB Shovel with a four-speed, which is smooth and quiet, as all my bikes in the past have been. I’ve asked three different dealers about this, and the response has been the same: “We’ve heard this a lot.” I’ve tried changing the fluid three times, have taken all the slack out of hand control (just barely leaving the 1/16" slack at end of cable) adjusted the shifting linkage, and clutch. I’ve also tried shifting without using the clutch, and the clanking still happens. Is there any way to cure this? Or do I need to learn to live with it?
Dan Gile
Via Internet
A:Are you sure the clanking is coming from the transmission? Check the end cover on your starter motor. A loose screw or broken bracket can make that cover ring every time you shift! A loose exhaust pipe, muffler baffle, or broken clamp can do the same thing. As far as transmission lube, the best I’ve found for the five-speed is Bel-Ray MC4-140. It’s a red gear lube that deadens the noises that a typical transmission makes. The red color may also help pinpoint future leaks.
Q:I have a 2005 Road King Custom that from day one has had an annoying hissing/rubbing noise coming from the front brakes. The noise disappears when I apply the brakes and starts again upon release. I brought the bike right back to the dealer, who stated it would go away after everything was broken in. The noise has not gone away, and I’ve had it back to several dealers who all said nothing was wrong. I called Harley in Milwaukee and also spoke to the Harley mechanics at the convention center in Daytona, Florida, all of whom told me that such noise was normal on some bikes.
Ray Lind
Via Internet
A:The brake pads on your bike need to stay very close to the rotor to ensure good lever height at the handlebar. If the pads move too far away when released, you’ll run out of room to the grip before you get full pressure on the pads. So, yes, the pads drag very slightly when the lever is released. The holes drilled in the rotor add to the hiss you are hearing. Make sure the right fork leg is positioned correctly in relation to the rotor. Loosen the axle cap. Insert a 7/16" drill rod into the hole in the axle, and move the right fork leg to just contact the rod. Tighten the axle cap. Also, grinding a slight bevel on the leading edge of the pads may slightly lessen the noise.
Oct. 09 - Hog Helpline - LOTS OF NOISE, AMONG OTHER THINGS 
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